The Japanese government will redouble efforts to achieve U.N. Security Council reform on the occasion of the 70th anniversary in October of the establishment of the United Nations, officials said.

The support of African nations, which have a large number of votes, holds the key to the proposed enlargement of the Security Council. But Japan faces difficulty gaining their backing and it is therefore uncertain whether progress will be made in the campaign to achieve the reform.

In the speech, Abe will call on U.N. member states to produce specific results on Security Council reform during the annual General Assembly session that runs through September next year.

The prime minister plans to make other diplomatic initiatives as well.

Arrangements are being made for a top-level meeting of the so-called Group of Four nations aspiring to gain permanent membership — Japan, Germany, India and Brazil — during Abe’s stay in New York. On Wednesday, he will visit Jamaica, a key member of the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, to seek cooperation in Security Council reform.